U.S. Rep. Gary Peters enters race for U.S. Senate WITH VIDEO

U.S. Rep. Gary Peters made it official that he's running to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Carl Levin next year.Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, made his intentions known as his wife Colleen looks on during a press conference at Chomp Deli, the same building where his great-great grandfather's house was, in downtown Rochester, Wednesday May 1, 2013. (Oakland Press Photo:Vaughn Gurganian)

U.S. Rep. Gary Peters announced his intent to seek a seat in the U.S. Senate Wednesday in an informal meeting at a Rochester diner that was once a business owned by his great-great-grandfather.

The Bloomfield Township Democrat ended weeks of speculation about his intentions since U.S. Sen. Carl Levin announced in early March that he wouldn't seek a seventh six-year term in 2014.

Peters also sent out an email to supporters announcing his intent that was shared with media shortly after noon.

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"Following Carl's decision, I have been humbled by the voices from every corner of Michigan who have enthusiastically encouraged me to run for the U.S. Senate," Peters wrote. "It is a decision that can only be made as a family and over the past few weeks, my wife Colleen and I, along with our three wonderful children, have discussed it at length. We wanted you to be among the first to know of our decision.

"Today - I am officially announcing that I am a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014," Peters said.

Peters, 54, is in his third two-year term in the U.S. House.

At Chomp Deli Grille and Juice Bar, formerly a carriage house owned by Peters' ancestor, Peters said he traces his roots to the Revolutionary War and that a run for the Senate is "the right thing to do."

There's no clear idea yet who Republicans may draft as an opponent to Peters. U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers from Howell is one rumored possibility.

Peters plans similar informal stops in Flint and Lansing Thursday, and Grand Rapids Friday. He said he plans to spend several months crisscrossing the state before he formally kicks off his Senate campaign in the fall.

"This is not the official formal kickoff of our campaign," Peters said. "We'll do that this fall."

Peters is a former state lawmaker and Michigan Lottery Commissioner.

He won election to the U.S. House in 2008, defeating incumbent Republican Joe Knollenberg, and held on to his seat in 2010 in a year that favored Republicans. He won re-election to a third term last November in a newly-drawn S-shaped district that starts in Pontiac and ends in Detroit.

In Congress, he sits on the Financial Services Committee. He was actively involved in the financial bailouts of Chrysler and General Motors, and has tended to vote with the administration on issues.

The three congressional campaigns have prepared him for a run for statewide office, he said.

"I've been through three very different races in the last three cycles," Peters said.

A U.S. Senate campaign won't be his first try for a statewide office, however.

"In his announcement, Rep. Peters admits 'Washington is a mess' and Michigan is on the verge of re-invention with 'a middle class that's stronger than ever,'" said Michigan Republican Party Chairman Bobby Schostak. "I appreciate Rep. Peters recognizing that under the leadership of Gov. Snyder and the Republican-led legislature Michigan is the comeback state.

"If we apply the same common sense solutions in Washington that Republicans have applied in Lansing, we can clean up the mess created by Peters and his Democrat colleagues," Schostak concluded. "In order to do that, we need to send a common sense conservative leader to the Senate, not #BigGovtGary."

Contact Charles Crumm at 248-745-4649, charlie.crumm@oakpress.com or follow him on Twitter @crummc and on Facebook. More information is at oaklandmichiganpolitics.blogspot.com. Keep up with the latest in local news by texting OPNews to 22700. Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.